Badgers to start the season in primetime

Nov 8, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell looks on during the second quarter against the Washington Huskies at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Wisconsin Badgers are starting the season off with a thriller in 2026, as they’ll face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Lambeau Field in Week 1. Well, now we have a kickoff time, and it makes the matchup even better.

The Badgers are slated to start the season on primetime, getting a 6:30 p.m. kickoff for the game, which will be streamed on NBC and Peacock. Wisconsin will be playing on Sunday night, rather than Saturday night, for Week 1.

It’s the third straight year that Wisconsin has opened its season with a night game after facing Miami (OH) and Western Michigan the last two seasons. And it’s the first time since 2016 that the Badgers are heading to Lambeau Field, according to UW Athletics, when they beat No. 5 LSU on a go-ahead field goal.

The Badgers are facing Notre Dame for the first time since 2021, when the two teams played at Soldier Field in Chicago. The two teams will wrap up their series this season now at Lambeau Field.

This matchup was initially scheduled for the 2020 season, but was rescheduled during the pandemic. Now, the two teams are finally playing against each other, likely giving the Badgers a top-25 opponent to start the year.

Notre Dame could end up being Wisconsin’s toughest opponent of the season, so we’ll get to see a good test for the Badgers in Week 1, which is now in primetime.